


Meaningful Bond

by Anxious_Muu



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Book 02: Words of Radiance Spoilers, Canon Autistic Character, Cute bonding, Exploration of Glys and Renarin's bond, Gen, Glys being excited, Glys is Renarin's friend, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Rlain and Renarin first talk, they're cuties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:00:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28712433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anxious_Muu/pseuds/Anxious_Muu
Summary: Renarin has always thought of himself as a coward, a disappointement to his father. He thinks of his bond with Glys, the reason why he was chosen, and tries his hardest to be of help.Some missing scenes in Words of Radiance from Renarin's perspective.
Relationships: Bridge Four/Renarin Kholin, Glys & Renarin Kholin, Renarin Kholin/Rlain
Comments: 12
Kudos: 32





	Meaningful Bond

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Значимая связь](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29075199) by [AnoriellElenthel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnoriellElenthel/pseuds/AnoriellElenthel), [WTF Sanderson Cosmere 2021 (WTF_Cosmere)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WTF_Cosmere/pseuds/WTF%20Sanderson%20Cosmere%202021)



The letters swam together in his vision, the woman’s script known as a shame to learn. In a dark corner of his room, with only a gemstone worth of stormlight as illumination, Renarin learned the letters. As an Alethi man, he didn’t have the luxury of a desk to study on, so he took to sitting with his legs stretched in front of him. 

He was beginning to decipher the difference between each letter thanks to Jasnah’s written books. He used them as reference. Jasnah’s writing was said to be poetic, her words have impressed even the highest monarchs. Her topics challenged and debated society, and that alone welled up a pride in Renarin’s chest. But that wasn’t the reason he studied from them, no. 

He missed her, immensely. 

After her scribe from Jah Keved, Shallan Davar, arrived to the shattered plains and announced Jasnah’s passing, Renarin was hit with a wave of betrayal. 

Jasnah was one of the closest people he held to his heart. The world didn’t have enough taking mother from him, and now Jasnah too? 

Renarin’s eyes welled up with tears, the words in the book blending together. He sniffled, wiping the tears from his eyes. 

He didn’t have the luxury to cry. His Father must be warned, must understand the frantic scribblings on the wall someway or another. Or Navani. 

Of course, he could just face them and tell them directly. Confess of his sins seeing the future. The parshmen’s transformation, a scary nightmare. 

But he wasn’t so brave, was he? He wasn’t like Adolin, brave and uncaring of judgement. Or like Jasnah, named heretic yet didn’t give a chip’s worth of worry. 

Instead of confidence, awkwardness defined him. Instead of bravery, cowardice shaped him. 

_No,_ _Renarin_ _,_ Glys said from within his heart, ever so kind, _you’re not a coward._

_“_ You don’t... You don’t truly know me,” Renarin whispered in the dark. He still wasn’t used to Glys’ presence, especially resounding from his own heart. 

_Yes_ _I do!_ Glys said, and Renarin compared the voice to that of a child pouting. _If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have come to you._

_“_ Maybe you shouldn’t have.” Insensitive, but Renarin was starting to dislike this turn of events for him. If it weren’t for Glys’ arrival, and these storming visions, he wouldn’t be so scared of looking his own father and brother in the eyes.

 _Renarin_ _,_ Glys whimpered, and Renarin immediately started feeling bad. _I know it seems scary and lonely. I am scared too. But I am, you are, so_ we _are._

Renarin didn’t comprehend what that meant, but he had a vague idea of what Glys was saying. After all, Glys healed his eyesight, and his blood weakness was miraculously gone. Renarin should be thankful, he knew. 

But seeing the future? He would rather die than be called a heretic. See, he was a coward. 

_We can be lonely together,_ _Renarin_ _,_ Glys was speaking quietly, like a kid who lost his excitement and wanted to make up with his friend. _But we don’t have to be scared. Mother promised we’d do good together. Our power is not evil._

Debatable, but Renarin didn’t want to shoot Glys’ spirit down. Renarin’s heart already ached. 

“I’m sorry,” Renarin said gently, putting his book down for a minute. “I didn’t mean to say you’re evil. I’m just... confused.” 

_It’s okay, you’re my friend, I know._ Glys’ voice was cheerful, excitable once again. 

Friend. Renarin thought the word over, realized he never had someone to address by that title. Renarin was sickly as a child, all the kids around his age made fun of him. He didn’t truly blame them, he wasn’t the most approachable after all. 

That word brought warmth. 

“Yeah, we’re friends.” Renarin smiled slowly. 

Glys hummed within his heart, and Renarin felt a sensation akin to comfort. Glys’ residence in his heart was affecting him somehow. 

“Did you... do something?” Renarin asked slowly, suspicious. 

_No?_ Glys answered truthfully. Somehow, Renarin could always tell when Glys was lying or not. Perhaps it’s related to Glys’ childish innocence. 

Weird, Renarin furrowed his eyebrows pensively. Perhaps he had just imagined it. He smoothly went back to reading, Glys a well-appreciated companion. 

Eventually, his eyelids started shutting heavily, unable to keep the exhaustion at bay. He screwed his eyes shut, felt a headache forming at the front of his forehead. He resisted the pain, and with a shaky hand, copied the letters one by one, until his fingers would smoothen his handwriting. 

*** 

Renarin’s eyelids fluttered open, his head feeling strangely woozy. Sunlight attacked his line of sight, and he winced. Storms, his eyes welled up with tears of pain. 

He grumbled, then belatedly realized the drool on his chin. He snapped his head up, noting his slumped form against the wall. 

His face flamed hot, and he awkwardly wiped the drool from his chin. He couldn’t believe he had been out cold like this. 

His back was all pains, and his neck ached from his uncomfortable slumber. 

Judging by the sun, it was only a little after dawn. His sleepy mind slowly recalled duties he was to attend today, and he gasped. 

_What?_ Glys said quizzically. 

He was to help Rock prepare for the Bridge four stew. “You should’ve woken me up!” He winced as his muscles popped. He then hurriedly and clumsily picked himself up, hurrying to wash his face. 

_Oh, you have stuff to do?_ Glys asked, and Renarin sensed a fearful edge to his voice. _Are you practicing again today? It hurts_ _Renarin_ _, please don’t go._

Glys was speaking of the new shardblade he bonded. For some reason, holding the blade hurt both Renarin and Glys. Whenever he touched it, Glys would scream and it would be all Renarin’s mind filled with. 

The first time it happened, Renarin had gotten back to his room and collapsed on the floor, holding his hair from the agony. Glys had been whimpering for a long time after the practice session, as if in pain. And the guilt had smothered Renarin, made him cry tears of shame. Shame, for he wasn’t strong enough to will the pain away. Shame, for Glys was greatly wounded and terrified of ever nearing the shardblade again. 

Still, Renarin couldn’t bring himself to face his Father about it. He would become much more disappointed, if that were even possible. And Adolin? His big brother did him the favour of gifting him the blade, he wouldn’t want to crush his brother’s spirit like that. 

“We’re not heading to the sparring grounds,” Renarin said softly. _That’s tomorrow._ He didn’t reveal the end of the sentence. 

Renarin could take the screaming, the fatigue. That’s the least he could do. But Glys... Glys, with all the future visions he cursed Renarin with, was too pure to take the brunt of it. 

And yet Renarin forced him to it anyway. He was awful. 

_Where are we heading then?_ Glys regained his composure, but the suspicion was still there. 

“Bridge four’s barracks, I have a job to do,” Renarin answered. 

He tucked the guilt away for now, and quickly wore his Bridge four uniform. The proud Kholin blue he wore didn’t reflect on his personality as much, but he hoped anyway. 

He tucked mother’s chain in his pocket, and with it the box he liked to fiddle with. 

Bridge four’s barracks was a short walk away from his own rooms. Or maybe it had simply felt short due to Renarin’s hurry. He didn’t want to test Rock’s or Kaladin’s patience with him. He was already thankful enough his admission to Bridge four was accepted. 

His guards walked a short distance behind him, keeping up with his pace. As he arrived, he thanked them with a nod of his head and dismissed them away. They always found it weird that Renarin didn’t like to be guarded in here, but that was how Renarin liked it. Once he stepped foot in Bridge four’s camp, he wasn’t a lighteyes anymore. He was one of Bridge four. 

“Renarin, ha!” Rock’s voice boomed from his spot behind the cooking pot, peeling vegetables. “I almost gave up on you. This thing shouldn’t happen again.” 

Renarin flamed hot with embarrassment, internally scolding himself. He bowed his head to Rock, apologies raining from his mouth. 

Rock laughed lightheartedly and waved him to the dishes. “This thing isn’t so bad, one sorry is enough. Now be to scrub those bowls clean, we not want men to eat moss with my stew.” 

“Yes sir!” Renarin said, grinning. 

_Yes sir!_ Glys echoed from within Renarin’s heart, sounding as excited as Renarin. 

One way or another, with him being treated like the rest of the members, he _was_ going to fit in. 

His sleeves reaching his elbows, he directed himself to his task and dutifully scrubbed every bowl clean. The men of Bridge four, one by one, were starting to stir. Kaladin was up in his sleeveless shirt, making a quick scan of the empty grounds. He gave a curt nod to Rock, then to Renarin and Dabbid. 

“Good work men,” He said to all of them. “And thanks for your hard work as always, Rock. Sorry you have to wake up so early.” 

Rock laughed, then gave an extra pat to Kaladin’s pat. Renarin wondered how he wasn’t winded. “This thing is nonsense, Kaladin. If not me, who feeds men?” 

Kaladin gave an easy sigh and softened just slightly. Renarin admired Kaladin for exactly that. He was a stern captain, but he cared deeply. And with his men, he softened just a bit. 

“You get first bowl, our dear captain,” Rock said with a proud nod. 

Kaladin smiled then retreated to his barracks, likely to start his daily morning push-ups. 

Lopen announced himself by screaming up –down, actually- from the ceiling. He was mostly ignored by everyone else, as they were used to him. Drehy grumbled about how it were too early for his voice and loosely threw a pebble at Lopen. The bickering continued as Lopen complained that he was king, and this was no treatment to a king. 

This was Bridge four, and Renarin smiled. He hoped that someday, not only would he learn their ways, but also belong to them. For once, he was able to forget the visions that plagued him. 

_You like this?_ Glys asked, not unkindly. _Wouldn’t you rather spend time reading?_

“Why would I?” Renarin whispered. “It’s unmanly. I don’t enjoy it.” 

_Really? But when you read, your heartbeat gets calmer, and your expression turns soft!_ Glys exclaims within his heart, Renarin having scrubbed the last of the bowls. 

“You must be mistaken... or something,” Renarin swallowed, unable to picture himself actually enjoying the process of learning how to read. He had always found passion in scholarship and being read to, but learning to read? He didn’t need that on top of everything messy that he was. 

_I’m not though,_ Glys pouted again. _When you read, you are you._

_“_ I’m always me,” Renarin countered. 

_Not like this,_ Glys defended, almost agitated. _I like you better when you do things you like. When you read, when you listen to your aunt explain_ _Fabrials_ _. When you exist, I exist._

Renarin blushed, his ears feeling the heat of it too. What Glys said was more profound than the spren realized, because with those words Renarin felt almost... appreciated. Loved. For who he was, not what others expected him to be. 

He was his own person, and Glys didn’t shun away from it. 

_“_ Well, I like doing this,” Renarin looked down, reaching for his box in his pocket. “It might seem like simple work, but at least I'm helping.” 

_Hmm,_ Glys hummed contently. _I like you better this way. When you’re honest with yourself. Good, then, have fun!_

Renarin smiled, appreciative of Glys’ input and excitement there. It was nice to feel some support, even when it’s from a spren. 

Renarin snapped from his thoughts when he noticed a palm opened in front of him. He blinked, coming face to face with the Parshman Shen. 

“Ah,” Renarin stuttered, feeling somewhat intimidated. Then he understood, Shen was awaiting his bowl. Renarin frantically fetched a clean one for him, it was the last one. Shen always served himself last, for that Renarin felt bad. 

Sometimes, Bridge four was sorely oblivious. 

“Wait,” Renarin said to Shen, took his own bowl and filled both bowls with stew. He headed back to Shen, sat beside him, and offered him the bowl. 

Shen eyed him, then slowly accepted the bowl. 

Renarin nodded, feeling awkward as he stared at his stew, before taking a sip. 

The other members were speaking one over the other, the chatter never dying. Teft barked orders at everyone to finish up their breakfast, but smiled endearingly behind his beard when no one was looking. 

“Highprince Renarin,” It was Shen’s voice, low and rhythmical. 

Renarin turned his face to look at him, having heard his voice for the first time. “Um... Renarin is fine.” 

“Renarin,” Shen repeated then sipped from his stew. He eyed Renarin in a curious manner. Renarin was briefly reminded of his vision, of the parshmen with red eyes. Transforming into monsters. He willed the image away, focusing on Shen. “You’re different.” Shen finally said. 

Renarin felt a pang at his heart, the words physically paining him. So it was that. “Lighteyed, you mean? Or weird?” He replied tersely. 

“Kind,” Shen settled. “Bridge four are good men, but you are much kinder. They do not approach me, like you do.” 

Renarin frowned at the confession. “Because you’re a parshman?” 

Shen seemed to wince at the term ‘parshman’, but didn’t deny it. “Yes. But what’s different about you?” 

Renarin thought the question over, seeked his box to fiddle with. 

_You’re both misunderstood,_ Glys supplied, giddily. _You know what it feels like, to be treated like a décor in the room._

Renarin kept his eyes down. Was that it? It seemed hardly fair to Shen. Even if Renarin could claim to understand some of Shen’s emotions, it was hardly accurate. Shen was a parshman, Renarin a human and Lighteyes. Renarin recognized that he was privileged in many ways. 

“I think,” Renarin licked his dry lips. “You deserve better than to be judged for who you are.” 

Shen slowly lowered his hand with the bowl, staring at Renarin with blinking eyes. Renarin pursed his lips, feeling even more shame for being cautious of Shen’s people because of those future visions. 

“I don’t... I don’t understand everything,” Renarin hurried, not wanting to be misunderstood. The way his brain worked annoyed Renarin sometimes. “But I want to. Someday. Your people, your race, I want to learn about you. If... that’s okay.” 

Glys’ aura was a comfort to Renarin, despite the fear that he might have crossed his boundaries with Shen. 

“Thank you, Renarin,” Shen said, and when Renarin turned to meet his eyes, Shen was smiling. 

Almighty, Renarin made the man smile? When did he last do that? 

“You see,” Shen patted Renarin’s arm, and Renarin didn’t flinch away. “My real name isn’t Shen.” 

Renarin’s grip on his box wasn’t as tight anymore. “Yeah?” 

“Rlain, but don’t tell anyone else,” Rlain said calmly, and Renarin found himself nodding. “One day, I’ll be happy to share some stories with you.” Rlain added with a hum that was almost melodic. 

_Oh._ Glys said suddenly, that single gesture withholding so many words Renarin couldn’t bother to decipher now. 

And then, Rlain stood and fetched his spear, hefting it on his shoulder and walked away to his duty. 

*** 

Renarin hurried out from his Father’s chambers, having seared his sins onto the wall. The words were written with ink, in big and bold letters for his family to witness. 

Hopefully they’d grasp the severity of the situation. Renarin had to hope. 

_You’re doing the right thing,_ _Renarin_ _,_ Glys encouraged him from within his heart. 

Renarin nodded solemnly, guilt once again resurfacing. 

_Take my sorrow,_ _Renarin_ _,_ Glys said again, taking the silence for pain that Renarin didn’t want to share. 

Renarin felt a strange sensation, his shoulders eased and he began to understand the effect Glys was having on him. The whole walk back to his room, Glys was naturally easing up his heartaches, comforting him the best he knew. By existing within him, simultaneously following his heartbeats. 

Almighty, how had Renarin ever thought Glys was an eyesore? He had greatly disrespected him. 

“Thank you, Glys,” Renarin said once he closed the door of his room, clutching his heart. “And sorry.” 

_Do not despair, do not be sorry,_ Glys ’ voice is all comfort and solace. _We are together,_ _Renarin_ _. And you’re not as alone as you think._

“It doesn’t feel like it though,” Renarin admitted, pained. “I have you, but...” 

_You are not alone,_ Glys repeated, louder this time. _He comes, He reigns, but you are and will not be alone. Trust me that it’ll get better._

“How are you so sure?” Renarin drew in a breath, sitting on the floor. 

_Because you’re strong, and kind, and brave,_ Glys said with a voice that rang in Renarin’s ears long after. _And because I believe in you. That’s why I chose you,_ _Renarin_ _._

A shuddering breath is exhaled from Renarin, and he thinks Glys’ words may have truth in them. He doesn’t believe them, not yet, but he believes in Glys. He believes in Glys’ existence within him. In the fact that they might just bring good to the world, like Glys said. 

And so Renarin wrapped his arms around himself, basked in the comfort that Glys’ aura envelopped him from within. 

All gentle and warm. 

**Author's Note:**

> RENARIN IS MY BABY BOY. RENLAIN ARE MY CHILDREN. I will be forever steering this ship with the flow of the wind. 
> 
> I hope you liked it, leave a comment if you can :) They give me free Serotonine. 
> 
> Catch me on twitter: https://twitter.com/kalshappinness


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